The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN RECRUITING ing class is 28 prospects (only 25 may enroll in August, leaving three prospects in the cold, the process known as "over-signing," which Michigan and most other Big Ten teams do not practice), but there are exceptions. Prospects who enroll early in college may be counted to- ward the previous year's recruiting class, if that class had fewer than the maximum. Michigan's 2011 class only had 20 signees, so if Michigan has five play- ers ready to enroll really, they could reach 30 members in the 2012 group without exceeding the per-class max- imum. Three current commitments — linebackers Joe Bolden and Kaleb Ringer, and safety Jarrod Wilson — are planning to enroll early.. However, there is also a roster maximum of 85 scholarship players. There are 59 Wolverines on the cur- rent roster who have eligibility to re- turn next season, so there are 26 spots 2012 Football Commitments Name Blake Bars Joe Bolden Ben Braden Jeremy Clark Devin Funchess Allen Gant Matthew Godin Sione Houma Erik Magnuson Mario Ojemudia Ondre Pipkins Terry Richardson Kaleb Ringer James Ross Caleb Stacey Scholarship Numbers N CAA rules dictate that the maxi- mum signees in a single recruit- currently available. Attrition from the current roster is normal in any offseason — players leave early for the NFL Draft, academic reasons or a decision not to return for a fifth year of eligibility. It is reasonable to ex- pect approximately two departures, though the number could be higher or lower in any given class. That leaves a projected size of 28 commitments in the 2012 class, with three early enrollees. Michigan's coaching staff has already received commitments from 23 players, leav- ing approximately five openings in the class. If Michigan's coaches can fill those slots with elite prospects, the recruiting season will be counted as an enormous success. STAFF ENFORCES NO VISITS POLICY Lyndhurst (Ohio) Brush defensive end/tight end Pharaoh Brown was an early commitment to Michigan's 2012 class in May, but now has the distinction of being the first prospect Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) OL 6-5 275 Nashville, Tenn. (Montgomery Bell Academy) LB 6-2 225 Cincinnati (Colerain) OL 6-6 285 Rockford, Mich. (Rockford) DB 6-4 205 Madisonville, Ky. (Madisonville N. Hopkins) TE 6-5 205 Farmington Hills, Mich. (Harrison) DB 6-2 210 Sylvania, Ohio (Sylvania Southview) DT 6-6 270 Novi, Mich. (Detroit Catholic Central) RB 6-0 211 Salt Lake City (Highland) Royce Jenkins-Stone LB 6-2 215 Detroit (Cass Tech) Drake Johnson Kyle Kalis RB 6-1 200 Ann Arbor (Pioneer) OL 6-5 302 Lakewood, Ohio (St. Edward) OL 6-6 275 Carlsbad, Calif. (La Costa Canyon) DE 6-3 215 Farmington Hills, Mich. (Harrison) DT 6-3 325 Kansas City, Mo. (Park Hill) DB 5-9 160 Detroit (Cass Tech) LB 6-0 219 Clayton, Ohio (Northmont) LB 6-0 209 Orchard Lake, Mich. (St. Mary's) OL 6-4 275 Cincinnati (Oak Hills) Anthony Standifer DB 6-1 178 Crete, Ill. (Crete Monee) Tom Strobel A.J. Williams Jarrod Wilson TE 6-6 245 Mentor, Ohio (Mentor) TE 6-6 260 Cincinnati (Sycamore) DB 6-2 190 Akron, Ohio (Buchtel) Christopher Wormely DE 6-4 255 Toledo, Ohio (Whitmer) 2013 Football Commitments Name Shane Morris Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) QB 6-3 183 Warren, Mich. (De La Salle) Dymonte Thomas DB 5-11 167 Alliance, Ohio (Marlington) Lyndhurst (Ohio) Brush defensive end/tight end Pharaoh Brown said he never decomit- ted from U-M, but rather was told by the school that he is no longer considered a commitment after he took an official visit to Oregon. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM to decommit from the crop of rising seniors. Brown says the decommit- ment was not his choice. "I never decommitted from Michi- gan," he said. "They said they don't consider me a commit because my [official visit to Oregon]. That's their policy." The policy Brown is referencing is a new one enacted by Brady Hoke. Any player who takes visits to other programs will not be considered a Michigan commitment by the coach- ing staff. The policy is intended to prevent Michigan from losing mem- bers of its recruiting class by ensur- ing each player agrees to visit only Michigan after committing. Thus far, the policy has worked out well for the coaching staff. Brown is the only player to fall on the wrong side of the rule so far in the 2012 class. RETURN TO THE TOP There's still time for things to change, but right now Michigan is on pace for a top-five recruiting class. Rivals.com ranks Michigan's current crop No. 2 in the nation, behind only Texas. Though the class might slide as other teams catch up in terms of total number of commitments (Mich- igan's 23-man group is the only class DECEMBER 2011 THE WOLVERINE 61